Procurement and Contracts Specialist I (Promotional)

Promotional Only

YOU MUST BE AN ALAMEDA COUNTY EMPLOYEE TO APPLY

THIS IS A NEW PROMOTIONAL ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended. Qualified applicants must be current county employees and have completed the equivalent of six months of continuous service following a regular appointment in the Alameda County classified service (non-classified includes the District Attorney’s Office, the Medical Center, and the Superior Court) by 3/30/15.  A regular appointment does not include provisional, TAP (Temporary Assignment Pool), or STEP-UP appointments.  

 

THE AGENCY

The mission of the General Services Agency (GSA) is to provide high quality, cost effective, and timely support services for County departments and other public agencies, so they can better serve the public and business community. GSA delivers a host of support services to County departments and agencies. These services fall into several major categories: Technical — architectural, engineering, energy and hazardous materials management; Building Maintenance — building maintenance and repairs, janitorial services and minor remodeling and alterations; Construction — new facilities and major remodeling; Procurement — purchasing and contract administration; Fleet Services; Childcare Planning; Human Resources, Payroll, Information Systems and Parking Administration.

Our Agency is working on many programs to make it easier for vendors to do business with the County. This GSA web-site, with its interactive capabilities and upcoming electronic procurement and commerce enhancements, is one step in that direction. Another new and exciting program is County’s Small, Local, and Emerging Business Program (SLEB) which promotes economic growth for the County community.  

 

THE POSITION

This series specification describes two Procurement & Contracts Specialist classes which under close supervision at the lower level and under general supervision of a Procurement & Contracts Supervisor at the higher level, perform a variety of purchasing duties; establish product standards and specifications within assigned categories and/or contracts, conduct formal and informal bidding processes, and perform related work as required.

 

IDEAL CANDIDATE

Alameda County General Services Agency is searching for an energetic, organized, customer-oriented individual to perform a variety of purchasing duties.  Successful candidates must possess basic knowledge of public sector purchasing practices and terminology, and have strong written and oral communication skills.  Additionally, successful candidates will possess the following attributes:

-Exceptional ability to take full advantage of computer software, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and has demonstrated resourcefulness in learning new information systems

-Superior prioritization and organizational skills to meet deadlines and to keep both electronic and hard copy files easily accessible

-Demonstrated ability to develop relationships with clients and co-workers to get the job done

-Can be trusted to provide accurate information

-Is able to navigate the internet and use other available resources to conduct research, gather data and perform analysis of the data to make cogent purchasing recommendations to clients

-Makes decisions based on thorough research and analysis while understanding political implications of those decisions

-Takes initiative to stay up-to-date on current events that affect public sector purchasing decisions

Either I

The equivalent of four years of full-time experience in the class of Procurement & Contracts Assistant in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

Or II

The equivalent of three years full-time professional purchasing experience which included developing and preparing contracts, specifications and cost analysis.

Or III

Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Laws of contract and sales as applied to purchasing transactions.
• Characteristics of the materials, supplies, and equipment used by large public agencies.
• Marketing principles and practices as they relate to large scale purchasing.
• Business practices.
• Organizational management and familiarity with the different kinds of materials, and services purchased by the County.
• Principles and practices of purchasing for a public agency.
• Practices and methods of purchasing by specification and competitive bidding.
• Technology procurements related to Information Systems, Telecommunications and modern office environments.
• Cost analysis methods.
• Computer skills such as Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Internet searches
• Purchasing best practices.
• Additional knowledge in PeopleSoft Financials and Uniform Commercial Code is desirable.

Ability to:

• Conduct complex value/cost analysis and negotiate purchasing contracts.
• Prepare and/or analyze complicated (e.g. highly technical or unusual) product specifications and complex, substantive contracts and requisitions.
• Analyze past purchasing practices, methods and procedures and recommends new procedures.
• Accept increasing responsibility and demonstrate ability to develop on the job.
• Gather, analyze data and present in narrative report or spreadsheet format.
• Reason logically, draw valid conclusions, and make appropriate recommendations.
• Participate effectively in conferences and individual interviews and speak effectively in public.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others and gain their respect and confidence.
• Prepare accurate and concise product specifications.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Work effectively with vendors, client departments, and the general public.
• Direct support staff.

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF the following steps: 1) A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. 2) A performance exam. 3) An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.  CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.  We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments many be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work. To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.  The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

 

Deadline for Filing	Monday, March 30, 2015
Review of Minimum Qualifications	Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Performance Examination	Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Panel Interviews	Monday & Tuesday, May 4 & 5, 2015

 

 

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing.   Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

 

Debra Robinson,  Human Resources Analyst III

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

510-272-6437